Toilet



June 12, 1962 R. F. oBRn-:N l 3,038,169

TOILET Filed Dec. 23. 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 PI'A..

June l2, 1962 R. F. O'BRIEN 3,038,169

TOILET Filed Dec. 23. 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 l 46 A il i, 26

R. F. O'BRIEN June 12, 1962 TOILET 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed DeC. 23. 1958 tats This invention relates to toilets with special reference to flush toilets, and is particularly directed to the problern of minimizing the amount of water required for the operation of such toilets. While the invention is broadly applicable for its purpose and may be used for permanent stationary installations in buildings, it has special utility for use in portable installations, for example in house trailers, in boats, in airplanes and in portable toilet structures that are installed for temporary use, for example, on construction projects.

For the basic purpose of maximum economy in the utilization of water in the flushing of a toilet bowl, the feature of the invention is the concept of providing a normally closed closure means for the toilet bowl outlet for normally retaining `a body of water in the toilet bowl and of further providing an associated normally closed supply valve for replacingy the body of water. The closure means and the supply valve are adapted to be opened by a common manual control, the supply valve being adapted to close with a time delay after the closure means closes. By virtue of this arrangement, the closure means may be manually opened to release the body of water from the toilet bowl for a flushing operation. When this operation is carried out, the supply valve may be mechanically actuated to deliver fresh water to the toilet bowl, and when the manual m-eans restores the closure means to its closed position, the supply valve closes with a delay sufiicient to permit the body of water to be replaced.

It will readily be appreciated that such a combination of a manually operable closure means for a toilet bowl and a manually operable supply valve may take various forms in various practices of the invention. In the preferred practice of the invention, the normally closed closure means is operated by a foot pedal and the normally closed supply valve is actuated by a cam operated by the foot pedal. When the foot pedal is released to permit theclosure means to return to its normal closed position, the supply valve is released for delayed closing action, the supply valve being adjustable to discharge a desired quantity of water during its delayed closing action to replenish the toilet bowl.

One probl-em that arises in the use of such a toilet assembly in a house trailer is the need for emptying the toilet bowl of water in preparation for moving the trailer along the highway. In this regard, a feature of the invention is the concept of employing a manual control, such as a foot pedal, movable through a given operating range, with the toilet bowl outlet closure means responsive to an initial portion of the operating range and the normally closed supply valve responsive only to a later portion of the operating range. This arrangement permits the required joint opera-tion of the closure and the supply valve by movement of the manual control over its complete operating range but makes it possible to empty the toilet bowl with-out the addition of fresh water simply by moving the manual control through only the initial portion of its range of operation.

Another problem arises from the possibility that the supply valve may fail to close completely in the delay period that follows release of the valve by the manual control. In that event, fresh water may continue to be supplied to the toilet bowl for an indefinite period of time, with the toilet bowl outlet closed by the closure. The

linvention prevents overflow `of the toilet bowl under such 3,038,169 Patented June 12, 1962 conditions by providing a special overflow passage that bypasses the toilet bowl closure. A further problem arises here, however, because such a bypass must have a water trap to prevent gases from being released from the catch tank or the equivalent to which the toilet bowl outlet is connected. The overow passage is rarely needed in practice but, of course, the water trap therein is needed at all times and must be replenished frequently. The invention solves this problem of replenishing the water trap by bleeding olf a small quantity of water to prime or replenish the overow trap whenever the toilet bowl is flushed.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of a vent connection below the toilet bowl outlet closure for the purpose of Venting the catch tank or the like into which the toilet discharges. Whenever it is desired to provide such a vent, it is a simple matter to attach a vent pipe to this vent connection.

The above and other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description considered with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, which are to be regarded as merely illustrative:

FIG. l is a perspective view of a toilet bowl assembly embodying the presently preferred practice of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a View of the supply valve that operates with the delayed closing action, the view being partly in section with portions of the internal valve mechanism shown in side elevation;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 with the internal -mechanism of the valve shown in cross section;

FlG. 4 is a sectional View of the toilet bowl assembly shown in FIG. l;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of the toilet bowl assembly with a cover plate removed, the view being taken as indicated by the line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the cover plate showing a vent pipe fitting thereon that may be used, if desired;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the toilet bowl as seen along the line 7 7 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective View with portions broken away showing a portable toilet structure for temporary use on construction projects and the like.

General Arrangement The principal parts of the toilet bowl assembly in cludes: a toilet bowl 10 equipped with the usual seat 12 and hinge cover 14; a water supply pipe 15 equipped with a cut-olf valve 16; a special delayed-closing supply valve, generally designated 18, having its inlet connected to the water supply pipe 15, the supply valve being adapted for actuation by depression of an operating plunger 20; a riser pipe 22 connected to the supply valve 18 to receive the water discharged therefrom; a conventional vacuum breaker 24tconnected to the riser pipe 22; a pipe 25 from the vacuum breaker to a supply manifold 26 incorporated in the rim structure of the toilet bowl 10, this manifold having a plurality of ports 28 for discharging the supply of water into the interior of the toilet bowl; a closure 30 for the outlet 32 of the toilet bowl for normally retaining a body of water 34 in the toilet bowl, the closure being spring-biased to its normal closed position; a foot pedal 35 for manually opening the closure 30; a cam 36 operatively connected to the foot pedal 35 to depress the operating plunger Ztl of the supply valve 18 after the foot pedal has initially opened the closure 30; an overflow passage 38 incorporated in the curved wall of the toilet bowl 10 to receive overflow from an overflow port 40 in the toilet bowl and to bypass the closure 30 for delivering the overflow to a drainage passage 42 below the closure, the overflow passage being of a configuration with a reversed curvature to form a trap 44 (FIG. 7) to retain a quantity of liquid 45 to seal off the room space from the drainage passage 42; and a bleeder port 46 in the manifold 26 for priming the overflow passage 38 to replenish the quantity of liquid 35 in the trap 44.

Operation The manner in which the invention operates for its purpose may be readily appreciated from this brief summary of the structure and from an inspection of the drawings. Normally the closure 30 closes the toilet bowl outlet 32 as shown in FIG. 4 to retain the body of water 34 in the toilet bowl and normally the supply valve 18 is closed. To llush the toilet, the pedal 35 is completely depressed to swing the closure 30 open to release the body of water 34 into the discharge passage 42. For this purpose, the operator completely depresses the pedal 35 and thereby causes the cam 36 also to depress the operating plunger 20 for opening the supply valve 18. The operator may keep the pedal 35 completely depressed to continue to ush the toilet bowl briefly with fresh water, the pedal then being released to permit the closure to swing back to its normal closed position. The cam 36 releases the operating plunger 20 of the supply Valve 18 when the foot pedal is released but the operating plunger returns only slowly to its normal position with consequent continued supply of water by the valve 18 after the closure 30 cuts off the toilet bowl outlet 32. The delayed closing action of the supply valve 18 is sufficient to restore the body of water 34, the water being supplied through the manifold 26 and the manifold ports 28.

During the prolonged period of time in which the supply valve 18 is open, a small portion of the water supply bleeds out of the manifold 26 through the bleeder port 46 into the overflow passage 38 to maintain the quantity of liquid in the overflow passage trap 44. In the event the supply valve 18 fails to close completely, the water discharged from the manifold 26 through the manifold ports 28 lls the toilet bowl to the level of the overflow port 40 and the excess water overflows through the port 40 into the overow passage 38.

In the event that it is desired to empty the body of water 34 from the toilet bowl, for example in preparation for transporting a house trailer along a highway, it is necessary merely to depress the foot pedal 35 through a relatively short range to swing the closure 30 to a partially open position. The foot pedal is not depressed far enough to cause the cam 36 to actuate the operating plunger 20 of the supply valve 18. The body of water may be replaced later with economy by quickly completely depressing and releasing the foot pedal to operate the supply valve 18 to cause the toilet bowl to be replenished in the manner heretofore described.

S truczuralv Details The toilet bowl 10 may be made of the usual vitreous material and, in the construction shown, is mounted on a cylindrical metal pedestal 48 which forms the toilet bowl outlet 32 and also forms the drainage passage 42. A suitable gasket 50 is interposed between the toilet bowl and the pedestal 48 and the toilet bowl is firmly joined to the pedestal by a split joint ring 52 which may be tightened by a pair of diametrically opposite screws 54.

The lower end of the pedestal 48 is formed with a floor ange 55 for anchorage of the pedestal to a floor 56 by means of bolts 58 and corresponding nuts 60. In the construction shown, a sealing gasket 62 and a conventional closet ilange 64 are interposed between the floor 56 and the iloor ange 55 under compression by the bolts 58. The closet flange 64 is connected to the usual drainage pipe or sewer pipe 65.

The closure 30 is made of rubber-like material with a spherically curved upper surface for normal sealing contact with a valve seat 66 formed by the inner circumferential wall of the cylindrical pedestal 48. In the construction shown, the closure 30 has a stem 68 by means of which it is mounted on a rocker arm 70. The rocker arm 70 is carried by a transverse rocker shaft '72 which is journaled in the cylindrical pedestal 48 with the opposite ends of the shaft exposed on the opposite sides of the pedestal. A suitable torque spring 74 with its opposite ends anchored to the cylindrical pedestal is wrapped around the rocker shaft 72 in the manner shown in FIG. 5 to urge the closure 30 to its closed position and to maintain normal sealing contact between the closure and the valve seat 66.

One exposed end of the rocker shaft 72 carries an actuating rocker arm 75 which is connected by a link 76 with the foot pedal 35. The foot pedal 35 is mounted on the side of the cylindrical pedestal 48 by a suitable pivot means 78 and is normally held in the position shown in FIG. 4 by the force of the torque spring 74. The second exposed end of the rocker shaft 72 carries the previously mentioned cam 36 for actuating the operating plunger 20 of the supply valve 18.

It is to be understood that any suitable type of delayedclosing supply valve may be employed. In the present embodiment of the invention, the supply valve 18 is of the general type disclosed in Patent No. 1,995,792. The specific embodiment of the valve is known as the Chicago Faucet, Model 333X33327K.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the supply valve 18 has a body 80 in the form of a casting having an inlet passage 82 for connection to the supply pipe 15 and a discharge passage 84 for connection to the riser pipe 22. Fixedly mounted in the valve body 80 is a valve shell 85, the construction of which is best shown in FIG. 3. The valve shell has an internally threaded flange 86 which overhangs the upper rim of the valve 80 and is threaded thereto with a suitable gasket 88 interposed to seal the joint.

The valve shell has a tapered circumferential shoulder 90 which seats in a correspondingly tapered annular shoulder 92 in the valve `body 80 to cut off a lower inlet chamber 94 in the valve body from an upper outlet chamber 95. The inlet chamber 94 is in communication with the supply pipe 15 through the inlet passage 82 and the outlet chamber 95 is in communication with the riser pipe 22 through the discharge passage 84. The valve shell 85 forms an internal valve seat 96 in the region of the circumferential shoulder 90, which valve seat is normally closed from below by a valve member 98 that is carried by the previously mentioned operating plunger 20.

In the construction shown, the operating plunger 20 comprises a cap member 100 and an axial stem 102 united therewith, the cap member overhanging the upper end of the valve shell 85 and the axial stem carrying the valve member 98. The lower portion of the valve shell 85 below the valve seat 96 forms a dashpot chamber 104 which is spanned by a piston, generally designated 105. The piston comprises a flanged gasket 106 of rubber-like material sandwiched between two annular members 108 and 110. The annular assembly comprising the valve member 98 and the piston 105 is clamped against an annular chamber 112 of the plunger stem 102 by a nut 114 that is threaded on the lower end of the stem. The operating plunger 20 is normally held in its upper position by a suitable coil spring 115 that surrounds the stern 102 in compression between the cap member 100 and annular packing 116 that surrounds the stem to close the interior of the valve shell 85.

The upper portion of the dashpot chamber 104 has a plurality of inlet apertures 118 in communication with the surrounding inlet chamber 94 into which the lower end of the valve shell 85 extends. The lower end of the dashpot chamber 104 has a plurality of small bleeder apertures 120 which are covered from below by a thick pervious felt washer 122. The felt washer 122 is secured by a metal washer 124 and a central screw 125 which threads into the bottom wall of the dashpot chamber. Above the valve seat 96, the valve shell 85 has a circumferential series of outlet apertures 126 in communication with the surrounding outlet chamber 95. n

Normally the valve member 98 is held firmly against the valve seat 96 by the force of the coil spring 115 and the Water pressure to cut off the outlet chamber 95 from the inlet chamber 94. When the operating plun-ger 20 1s depressed by the cam 36, the valve member 98 is unseated to permit uid ow through the supply valve from the supply pipe 15 to the riser pipe 22. The fluid from the supply pipe 15' reaches the inlet chamber 94 through the inlet passage 82 and enters the upper portion of the dashpot chamber 104 through the inlet apertures 118. The water flows out of the dashpot chamber 104 through the valve seat 96 and then flows out through the outlet apertures 126 into the outlet chamber 95 for release to the riser pipe 22 through the discharge passage 84.

The downward movement of the operating plunger 20 shifts the dashpot piston 105 downward to force water out of the lower end of the dashpot chamber 104 through the bleeder apertures 120 and through the material of the felt washer 122. When the operating plunger 20 is released by the cam 36, the coil spring 11S forces the operating plunger gradually upward to restore the valve member 98 to its normally closed position against the valve seat 96. This upward movement of the operating plunger 2t) is retarded because water may enter the lower end of the dashpot chamber 104 below the piston 105 only by passing through the material of the felt washer 122 and the felt washer restricts the rate of flow. lf the piston tends to rise faster than permitted by the bleeder flow through the felt washer, the tendency is counteracted by the consequent `drop in pressure in the dashpot chamber below the piston. The rate at which the operating plunger 20 moves upward to cut off the llow of water varies with the degree to which the felt washer 122 is compressed by the screw 125. It is a simple matter to adjust the screw 12S to provide a closing rate for the valve that will result in the desired volume of the body of water 34 in the toilet bowl.

Access to the drainage passage 42 and to the closure 30 may be gained by removing -a cover plate 128 that normally closes a rectangular access opening 130 (FIG. 5) in the side of the cylindrical pedestal 48, the cover plate being normally secured by suitable screws. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the cover plate 128 may be equipped with a nipple 132 for connection to a vent pipe for venting the drainage passage 42 to the outdoor atmosphere. If such a vent pipe is not needed, the nipple 132 is closed by a threaded cap 134.

The Toilet Structure of FIG. 8

FIG. 8 shows a portable room formed by four walls 140, a Hoor 142 and a roof 144. The portable room, for example, may be the toilet room of a house trailer. In the construction shown, however, the portable room is a toilet structure to be installed temporarily at construction jobs and the like. The toilet room may be readily lifted by a lift fork F for transportation.

The toilet bowl assembly in FIG. 8 is of the previously described construction comprising a toilet bowl 10 mounted on a cylindrical metal pedestal 48. The drainage passage formed by the pedestal 48 is connected by a drainage pipe 145 with a catch tank 146 below the Hoor 142. The chemical catch tank 146, as illustrated, is of rectangular construction with a normally closed drainage port 148 and with a vent pipe 150 extending upward through the roof 144. However, this catch tank may have a cylindrical or other suitable shape. Mounted inside the toilet room at a high level is a suitable pressure water supply tank 152 supported by brackets 154. The water tank 152 is connected to a supply pipe a that is equipped with a shut-oli valve (not shown) in the manner heretofore described, and is connected to the inlet passage of the usual supply valve (not shown) that is part of the toilet bowl assembly.

by a person using the toilet and for removing such wastev material by a tlow of water upon a llushing of the toilet,

a bowl defined by walls and having a `hollow contiguration to define a irst passage and having a rst opening at the top 4to receive waste material from the person using the toilet and having a port near the top to introduce water to the bowl for fthe ow of water through the iirst passage deiined by the |bowl and having an outlet at the bottom to pass the water and the waste material after the flow of the water Athrough the passage defined by the wall,

a portion of the bowl being shaped to dene an overow passage communicating with the bowl at the Iirst opening in the top of the bowl and communieating with the outlet to provide yfor the flow of the Water through the overiiow passage from the port upon the flushing of the toilet,

valve means pivotable at a fulcrum in the overflow passage and extending from `the overtiow passage into the iirst passage of the bowl and operative in a first pivotable relationship to close the iirst passage against the flow of the water in the iirst passage through the outlet in the bowl and operative in a second pivotable relationship to open the rst passage for the iiow of the water in the iirst passage through the outlet in the bowl,

actuatable means operatively coupled to the valve means and disposed externally of the bowl and actuatable to obtain a pivotable disposition of the Valve means in the second relationship, and

means operatively coupled to the port and to the actuatable means for obtaining a iiow of water through the port and through the first passage and the overflow passage to the outlet upon the actuation of the actuatable means to obtain a flow of water in the tir-st passage through the outlet during the disposition of the valve means in the second relationship.

2. In a toilet for removing waste material deposited by a person using the toilet and for removing such waste material by a How of water upon a liushing of the toilet,

a bowl deiined by walls and having a hollow contiguration to dene a first passage and having a irst opening at the top to receive waste material from the person using the toilet and having a port near the top to introduce water to the bowl 4for the flow of water through the first passage deiined by the bowl and having an outlet at the bottom to pass the water and the waste material after the flow of the water through the passage defined by the bowl,

a portion of the bowl lbeing shaped to define an overow passage which communicates with Ithe bowl at the rst opening in the bowl to receive the water overflowing the first passage and which communicates with the port near the top of the bowl to receive a small portion of the water flowing through the port to the rst passage and which communicates with the outlet at the bottom of the bowl to pass the water in the overflow passage vto the outlet,

closure means extending in a ii'rst position across the dirst passage at a position near the outlet to prevent the passage of the water in the first passage to the outlet, the closure means being pivotable to a second position to provide for a flow of the water in the iirst passage to the outlet,

control means disposed in the overflow passage to .receive the water passing through the overflow passage to the outlet for a cleansing of the control means, the control means communicating with the closure means to provide a pivotal movement of the closure means between the first and second positions in accordance with the actuation of such configuration to define a passage and having a first opening at the top to receive waste material from the person using the toilet and having a port near the top to introduce water to the bowl for the flow trol means, of water through the passage defined by the bowl means operatively coupled to the control means for and having an outlet at the bottom to pass the biasing the control means to the first position of water and the waste material after the ow of the the closure means, water through the passage defined by the bowl, actuatable means disposed externally of the bowl for actuatable means disposed externally of the bowl and actuation by the person using the toilet and opera- 10 initially actuatable from a position of rest to a first tively coupled to the control means for obtaining position displaced from the position of rest and an actuation of `the control means to pivot the subsequently actuatable to a second position further closure means from the iirst position to the second displaced than the iirst position from the position of position, and fest, means operatively coupled to the actuatable means for closure means disposed in the bowl near the outlet and obtaining a flow of water through the port and the movable between a first position closing the outlet first passage and the overflow passage to the outlet against the flow of the water in the bowl from the upon the actuation of the actuatable means. passage lthrough the outlet and a second position 3 I .l St t rial de osted opening the outlet for the flow of the water 1n the n a tol @t or removmg Wa e ma?? I t bowl from the passage through the outlet, by a Person usmg the met and for emqvmgfsl Wills closure -control means operatively coupled to the clomatemal by a HOW of Water upon a ushmg o t e tol e sure means for biasing the closure means to the first a bOWl defined by WallS and having a hOllOW COIlgU- position and for biasing the actuatable means to ration to define a passage and having a first opening the position of rest, at the I[OP t0 feCeVe Waste material from the PSYSGD 25 means operatively coupled to the closure means and using the toilet and having a port near the top` to the actuatable means and disposed within the bowl introduce water to the bowl for `the iiOW 0f Water for moving the closure means from the first position through the Passage defined by the bGWl and had/ing to the second position upon the actuation of the an outlet at the bottom t0 PSS the Water and the actuatable means to the first and second positions, Waste material after the flOW 0f the Water ihfOUgh 30 supply means operatively coupled to the port to obtain the passage defined by the bowl, an introduction of Water through the port into the closure means disposed in the bowl near the outlet and passage,

movable between a first position closing the outlet valve means operatively coupled to the supply means against the flow of the Water in the bOWl through and operative in a first relationship to prevent the the passage and the outlet and a second position passage of water through the supply means and the opening the outlet for the flow of the water in the port into the bowl and operative in a second rebowl through the outlet, l lationship to provide for the passage of water closure control means operatively coupled to the clothrough the supply means and the port into the bowl, sure means for biasing the closure means to the first biasing means operatively coupled to the valve means position and for obtaining a movement 0f the 40 for biasing the valve means in the first operative closure means to the second position upon actuation, relationship, supply means operatively coupled to the port to obtain means operatively coupled to the valve means and the an introduction of water through the port into the actuatable means and responsive to the actuation of passage, the actuatable means to the second position to obtain valve means operatively coupled to the Supply means an operation of the valve means in the second operaand biased in a first relationship to prevent the intive relationship, and troduction of water from the supply means into the means operatively coupled to the valve means for depassage and actuatable to a second relationship t0 laying the return of the valve means from the secobtainy the flow of water from the supply means into ond operative relationship to the first operative rethe passage, and lationship by the biasing means upon the release of means disposed externally of the bowl and actuatable the actuatable means from the second position to by the person using the toilet through a first distance provide for a flow of a limited volume of water and through an additional distance extending bethrough the supply means and the port into the bowl yorid the first distance and operatively coupled to the upon the return of the closure means to the first closure control means and the valve means to obposition` 'and upon the return of the actuatable tain an actuation of the closure means for a movemeans to the position of rest. ment of the closure means rfrom, the first position to the second positionV upon an actuation of such ex- References Cited in the file of this patent Bi'Ilaily disposed IlleaIlS 'ti'llOUgh the first distallCC UNITED STATES PATENTS and to obtain an actuation of the valve means to the econd relationship upon an actuation of such ex- 2341570 Hellyef NOV' 16 1880 ternally disposed means through the second distance. 2640693 Hay et al Sept 12 1882 430,966 Mayo lune 24, 1890 4. In a toilet for removing waste material deposited `832,897 Duner Oct 9, 1906 by a person using the toilet and for removing such waste 1,430,417 Tucker Sept 26l 19.22 material by a flow of water upon a flushing of the toilet, 2,210,630 Duner Aug 6, 1940 a bowl defined by walls and having a hollow con- 2,449,441 Agra SCP. 14, 1948 

